In a significant development, the Supreme Court of India refused to entertain a petition for re-investigating the rape-murder case of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital. The incident, which shocked the nation, took place in August 2024 when the body of a post-graduate trainee doctor was found in the hospital’s seminar room. The police arrested Sanjoy Roy, a volunteer with the Kolkata Police, in connection with the crime.
Parents’ Petition for Re-Investigation
The parents of the victim presented a petition to investigate further. They believed that the murder was not carried out by the convicted Sanjoy Roy alone, and there were more people involved. They pointed out that the conspirators and all those who helped the accused Sanjoy Roy were not arrested, and there were many lapses during the investigation process. Their lawyer withdrew the petition during the proceeding.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the Central Bureau of Investigation CBI. His argument is that reopening the case would be to the advantage of the convict, Sanjoy Roy, as he had been given life imprisonment. The court rejected to entertain the petition but allowed the parents to amend and file a fresh petition.
Conviction of Sanjoy Roy
On January 20, 2025, a trial court in Kolkata sentenced Sanjoy Roy to life imprisonment until death for his role in the crime. This verdict came after a thorough investigation and trial, and Roy was found guilty of the brutal act that took the life of the young doctor.
Supreme Court Directs Regularization of Protesting Doctors’ Absences
Another noteworthy judgment made by the Supreme Court is with respect to the protesting doctors in West Bengal. After the incident, many doctors in Kolkata protested against the brutality of the crime by resorting to a strike. The court directed that the doctors who resumed their services after August 22, 2024, shall have their absences regularized and not considered as a breach of duty. However, the court made it clear that this directive is based on specific facts and circumstances of the case and does not set any kind of precedent for future situations.
The Supreme Court rejected a petition for re-investigation in the rape-murder case of the patient at RG Kar Hospital.
The court found that the petition would only favor the convicted man, Sanjoy Roy.
Sanjoy Roy was sentenced to life imprisonment for the crime.
In a related order, the court ruled that the protesting doctors, who resumed duty after August 22, 2024, will not have their absence considered as a breach of duty; it cited specific circumstances.